Let’s not talk about the weather!

We will be soon!

We are very busy looking forward to the start of season, and we remain extremely confident that both the campsite, and the owners will be sparkling by then. There is still lots to do on site, but our plan is all coming together, and everything is taking shape.

The team (that’s me Lynn, John and Camp Dog Harvey) are really looking forward to sharing some of our new discoveries with our guests – old and new.

What’s New – well, that’s new to us

Lanhydrock outdoor pool

Gardens – On a lovely sunny Sunday morning we headed off to Lanhydrock Estate as this is somewhere we have been longing to visit.  The formal gardens, and house were not open, however we actually really enjoyed a good long walk around the fabulous extensive estate grounds.  There were so many walks to choose from and we took ones off the main estate road walks and did not see another person.  In the summer, there would have been nothing better than a dip in the outdoor pool.  We were of course able to view the house itself and gardens from outside the gates, which look magnificent and definitely something to look forward to for a return visit.

The view from our tip

Harvey’s new walk – Camp Dog has been feeling during the recent storms, that his little world has gotten a bit small as lovely as the Pentewan Valley Trail is.  As this winter we have been getting rid of lots recycling that we cannot up cycle, I managed to find a lovely walk to enjoy on the way back from my frequent tip run. Before the walk, I must just share with you the view from our local tip.

Charlestown Lookout Station

For this walk, or the alternative of just a good sandy beach walk we park up in the Carlyon Bay free beach car park. We have done the long beach walk returning on the coast path a few times now.  On one stormy day when we parked up the steps down to the beach were closed as the sea conditions were considered to be too dangerous to the public.  Of course, we did not want to get back in the car, so we headed off on the SWCP in the direction of Charlestown.  This turned out to be a fabulous alternative walk starting off through grass fields with fab views all the way, and passing at the back of the very exclusive Carylon Bay Hotel and some super smart house in Carlyon Bay and the Charlestown Coastguard Watch.  We walked all the way to Charlestown, had a meander around Charlestown, and then wandered back as the view walking in the other direction are of course different.  A very nice walk, indeed and Camp Dog Harvey’s tail was wagging all the way to Charlestown and back.

Eating out – Second visit recently, and just as good The Roseland Inn at Philleigh (en route to St Mawes/King Harry Ferry).  This Inn is really something special, and very friendly to both humans, and dogs.  Fish is their speciality and their crab and pea risotto was excellent, and their home made chips are also very delicious.

Happenings on site

Trout – Since the de-silting of our stream large trout have been spotted.  The ducks are also more frequent visitors and so we may still get a resident duck in the duck house.  There has also been many sightings of the kingfisher doing a spot of fishing.

Our top notch shower block

Shower Block – this has all been painted out.  The rather small basins in the wet room cubicles have been replaced with some better bigger ones.  There are also some extra shelves going up inside for make up/hair stations, and an extra dishwashing sink going in outside.

Planting – so far we have planted a nice row of holly “down field” to add to the existing row of boundary trees, and other plants.  We are waiting on the delivery to Heligan of their first stock of giant rhubarb (gunnera) which we will be planting next.  Also we de-brambled one area “down field” which is to be left somewhat to mother nature.  For this area we are going to be planting meadow grass, and meadow flowers  in particular for encouraging wildlife.  The RSPB have also sent us some very interesting ideas for planting up our ditches to both be more attractive, and to encourage wildlife.

Prior to getting some tlc

Groundwork – Please feel free to skip this section, but I do know lots of our guests who stayed last season were very interested in the next phase of our work. The campsite road originally stopped at the shower block and then it was grass, with grass protecta for the remanding access section.  The road has now been extended and forks off left and right with a small turning area.  The top coat still has to go on but this will be done just before opening, so that we have a nice clean road for our guests.  To demonstrate road ending, and the non vehicle/wild camping area, we are parking our up cycled plough and hay turner at the road ends.  These make lovely features, and will also stop any enthusiastic drivers driving in to the ditches!!

The Meadows is a natural site, but we want to ensure that when it does rain, the rain leaves the site as quickly as possible after we have been watered.  This work has been our main winter work, of which the ditches are a part, the de-silting another part, and land drainage pipes another.  The ditches and de-silting are all done, the Council have cleared all the adjoining ditches leading to the river then the sea, and so water fires off the site.  The land drainage pipes are all in now running alongside the road, and a lot of the spars off for individual pitches are done too.  During the next couple of weeks, this work should be finished and you can be that will be when the indefinite drought starts.

Lots more “grass protecta” is on order, as this works really well for protection of our grass, and in adverse weather. This will mean all our hook up pitches (including our new ones) will be served by grass protecta, and our camping pitches will also have parking areas with grass protecta.

The site will always have natural lumps and bumps, but some of our excess soil this winter, has been used to fill in any big dips, and to build up the stream bank.  One of the top stream side pitches is also being given up for Mabel our vintage caravan.  We will be getting on with Mabel’s garden very soon, as both caravans are been booked for a photo shoot at Easter.

Food, glorious, food – It is without any doubt that John’s breakfast baguettes will be on offer again this season.  It is also expected that the Blue Vintage Crepe Van will also be visiting at least one a week during busy times, and at least one regular night a week in high season.  New for this season is to be wood fired pizzas courtesy of Kernowforno.  At present we are still working out the detail, but Sarah and Simon should be cooking up pizzas here one regular night a week, which we feel looking at their menu is very exciting news indeed

Weather – I managed to get nearly to the end without doing so, but this has to get a mention.

Apparently, according to the experts there may be a very big up side to the winter wet and stormy weather.  It seems that the positioning of the jet streams means that a very hot summer is set to follow this wet and windy winter.  We will very happily take that, and so please do save all of those umbrellas purchased to keep you dry, as you will be needing them when that sun just get too hot to handle.

Bookings – Just for adults, is a lot more popular than we anticipated.  Whilst we have availability still for all weeks, some weeks hook up pitches are getting limited already.  We hope to see lots of new faces, but we do not want to disappoint the guests of our first season who want to return and see the changes we have made. If you know when you want to visit, please contact us here to book, or telephone 01726 844383.

Mabel – we are still without in situ pictures for Mabel Caravan, but Mabel’s set up will be on a par with Lottie Caravan, and we are now taking bookings from May. As we now have two caravans, there is flexibility on changeover days, and lengths of stay so please just ask and we will always try to accommodate you.

“whatever the weather you can cosy up and feel cosy in one of our caravans.”